Cirque Du Freak - Testing DesTiny
by KayLyn666
Summary: Based several years after the War of Scars. Evanna's twins are reunited, 14 years after their birth. Two years later, the pair begin experiencing visions that may or may not prove to be the making of their Grandfather, Desmond Tiny. Will the twins be able to prevent another war from breaking out, or will DesTiny finally have the climatic end for one of the families of the night?
1. Introduction

Octavia Butler once said, "Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over." As a child, I had no idea what that statement meant, but as I grew older and wiser, with the stern, yet caring touch of my mother to guide me, I learned to appreciate that statement. Once I was old enough to understand, I began to question my own destiny...

Destiny. We all find ourselves kneeling at the hands of Destiny at one time or another in a mercilessly long lives. We all find ourselves loathing our heritage, longing for something to give. In some cases, our lives change forever. In others, our lives remain the same, always consistent, always boring lives.

My name is Storm. I am the daughter of Evanna and Vancha March – granddaughter of Desmond Tiny himself. In a way, I am the niece of Gannen Harst. My heritage confuses me, even after all these years. In easy terms, I am one-third vampire, one-third Evanna – witch? - one-third vampaneze. For the first fourteen years of my life, I lived with my mother, in the middle of the woods, learning her ways, whereas my half-twin-brother, Skye, lived with his father and uncle (my dad!) learning the ways of the rulers of the night.

That changed about two years ago, when Vancha came to collect me, bringing me to Vampire Mountain, where I have since learned more than I care to remember.

* * *

"Feet planted on the ground, hands out! Storm, we've been over this a million times!" Vanez Blane barked after I once again failed to spin out of the way of his hands. Though Vanez has been blind for the better part of 30 years, he still is as sharp as anyone with both eyes!

"I'm sorry!" I yelped, ducking. I was tired, I ached from being knocked around, and worst, I had a monster of a headache. I repositioned myself and waited for him to continue the lesson.

By the luck of the Vampire Gods, Vancha found us a short time later and told Vanez that was enough training for one night. I eagerly made my way through the long, twisted halls to retrieve my regular clothes from my cell. I dressed quickly, pulling the dark red dress over my head, letting my long, amber hair fall down my back as I slipped my mink fur throw around my shoulders.

"You look too pretty to be a vampire," a voice chimed. I spun around to see Skye standing in the archway.

"Old habits die hard," I shrugged. "How's Gannen?" I asked with a soft smile.

"Well. How was your training? I heard Vanez rip you a new one," he laughed softly.

"I'd rather have mom teaching me how to breed toads!" I yelped. "Any news on the missing Vampaneze?" I asked.

"Yeah. I guess Mika managed to direct a handful of Generals in an effort to find them. Luck have it, they did," he nodded. "Speaking of the sullen Prince, did Vancha tell you that they wanted to see you?"

"No, but I assumed as much when he relieved me of my training. Normally he lets Vanez push me till I drop!" I sighed as I made my way to where my father was waiting. "Skye says the Princes want to see me?" I asked.

"Aye. But not yet. Let's eat first," he suggested.

"I'm not hungry," I sighed tiredly. "Can't we just go see what they want?"

"You know that's not how it works," he scolded.

"Nothing's as it was since the clans rejoined, Dad, you know that," I sighed. I walked ahead of him, smiling at those we passed along the way. Skye followed behind, his eyes locking warily on mine whenever I turned around.

"So what's going on, Dad?" I asked, chewing on what looked like a cow bone.

"There's a lot that has to be discussed. But we'll wait until we're in the Hall of Princes, alright?" he said, pushing my questions aside.

"Fine," I grumbled. Instead, I turned my attention to Skye, who looked misrable. "What's wrong?" I asked my half brother gently.

"Nothing," he grunted, slurping down his bowl of bat broth.

"Something's wrong," I pushed.

"Nothing, Storm, geez," he snapped. I flinched and excused myself, telling Vancha that he could find me outside the Hall of Kheledon Lurt. I sat down against the cool stone walls and waited, thinking about life.

* * *

The War of Scars ended a few months before my brother and I were born. Both the Vampaneze Lord – Steve Leonard – and Darren Shan, who was the youngest Vampire Prince to date, who was rumored to become the Lord of Shadows had he lived to see the end of the War, died, bringing the war to a brutal standstill. Our grandfather, Desmond Tiny, decided to force our mother into mating with either a Vampaneze or a Vampire, and said child would determine the outcome of the war. But since she decided to mate with both Vancha and Gannen, thus making Skye and myself a hybrid of a sense, the war ended with a truce on both sides.

Since the war, the Vampires and the Vampaneze have worked hard to come to terms on an agreement both sides could live with. The first change was the whole draining a human of blood every time they fed, situation. To everyone's surprise, the Vampaneze agreed to limit their feedings, in return, the Vampires could not interfere when they did feed. It wasn't the ideal agreement, but it worked. Other changes had been made too, but one still held. The remaining three vampire Princes still held command over all, and still protected the Stone of Blood. Arrow, Mika Ver Leth, and my father, Vancha March. Though most of the Vampaneze were willing to agree to said terms, some still weren't as willing.

* * *

"Storm, let's go," Skye ushered as he walked up to me, his eyes masking all emotion. I knew something was bothering him, but couldn't exactly place it.

"Alright. Where's my dad?" I asked, turning quickly to look for him.

"He'll meet us there. C'mon, let's not make Mika wait," he said, pulling me to my feet roughly.

"Hang on!" I yelped, pulling away. "What the hell is going on?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

"You'll see. Come on already, Storm. Geez, you're slower than a human infant!" he growled.

"Mika knows I'll be there, calm the fuck down!" I growled. I pulled out of his rough grip and stormed back into the Hall of Kheledon Lurt. I looked around and saw my father standing against the far wall, talking to two of the younger Generals in a hushed tone. I waited for him to finish talking before waving him over.

"Storm Darlene March, what are you doing here? Didn't Skye tell you to report to the Hall of Princes nearly fifteen minutes ago?" he growled. I lowered my gaze and nodded. It was extremely rare for my father to use my full name, much less in an angry tone. "Then why are you here?" he repeated.

"Because Skye wasn't telling me anything, and I don't go anywhere without knowing what I'm walking into!" I hissed.

"Hall. Now!" he growled, slapping at my arms, forcing me forward like a wounded puppy. I hurriedly pushed past Skye, who was smirking hugely, before making my way straight for the hall.

I stood still as I was patted down, an old tradition that has yet to be outdated. Once I was cleared, I waited until I was called forward.

An hour later, I was face to face with a very angry looking Mika Ver Leth!

I stood before him, not nearly as scared as I was two years ago. Mika was intimidating, cold, and sort of scary, but beneath the facade, he was a kind individual. Or at least, the Mika I knew was.

"You kept us waiting," he scolded, a deep frown forming on his lips.

"I don't like walking into something without knowing what I'm walking into," I shrugged.

"Just because you are Lady Evanna's daughter, does not make you exempt from our laws," he growled. Arrow sat in silence beside him. Normally, one Prince was always to be absent in the case anything were to happen to the other two, but since Vancha dragged me all the way to the mountain two years ago, what with it being so close to Council, especially since this Council in particular is so important, the Princes decided to all be in attendance, what with Paris Skyle and Darren Shan both dying during the war, the former, due to old age, the other, in what has since been deemed the Final Battle. Rumors were spreading that a new, possibly Vampaneze, Prince would be named during this Council, but no such news has yet come from the Princes themselves.

"I never said I was exempt from the laws," I challenged. "But nor will I walk blindly."

"This is exactly the kind of -" Mika started, only to be silenced by Arrow, who shook his head.

"She's the daughter of our fellow Prince, Mika. She's only been around our kind for two years. Let's not forget who raised her," he said in a calm tone. I growled at his comment, but held my tongue.

"Regardless, you've had two years to train with some of the best of our kind. You've lived with Evanna for far longer, probably learning tricks we'll never understand. We have spoken with Vancha, and decided it was time you prove yourself," Mika said carefully.

"Prove myself? Isn't my existence proof enough? My brother and I are the reason the war ended!" I exclaimed, completely stunned by what he was saying.

"Your brother completed the trials two years ago," Arrow reminded me. It was true. Skye was asked to complete them when he turned 14.

"But, but..." I sighed. "Fine, but only under one condition! And I'm sure my father and my _mother_ would agree on the condition!" I growled.

"Let me guess," Mika smiled. "In the case you fail, you cannot be killed?"

"Exactly!" I snapped. I was confused when both Arrow and Mika laughed at my tone. "What?"

"Child, even if we wanted to uphold tradition, it is out of our control. Your grandfather would wipe us off the face of earth if we tried such a thing," Arrow laughed.

"So if I fail, but live, I won't be dropped on the stakes?" I asked, bewildered.

"No," Mika smirked. "It's all just for formality. You'll choose your first trial tomorrow," he added.

"Fair enough," I sighed. They bid me good day and let me leave.

In a rush, I ran through the mountain, practically crashing right into Skye, who looked upset.

"Watch wh-...oh it's you," he said with a sigh. "Did they sentence you to the trials?"

"Yeah," I nodded.

"Better pray to the Gods you don't end up with the Hall of Fire or the Aqua Maze," he shook his head.

"I can swim," I pointed out.

"Doesn't matter. It's harder than anything I've done before," he sighed again. "And the last four Generals to pull the Hall of Fire died."

"You're no good at keeping a girl calm, you know you?" I growled.

"It's not my job, baby sister," he teased with a soft smile.

"I'm a minute younger than you!" I yelped, throwing myself at him. He laughed and sprung to his feet, nearly causing me to crash face first into the wall.

"A minute's all it takes," he teased.

Despite both of us being far more grown than our actual ages, for that short period of time, we chased each other around the mountain, forgetting that we were the reason the war ended. That we reunited the two clans. That we changed destiny. For that short period of time, we were just two overgrown children, enjoying a few minutes of blissful playtime.

But as Robert Frost once wrote – nothing gold can stay.

* * *

_A/n:: So this is my first fan-fiction, and I'm working on it in short bursts, to keep from losing interest. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated. :) _


	2. Chapter 1

I was sitting on the floor of my cell, using a piece of glass as a mirror, working the worst of the knots out of my long, strawberry blonde hair. Like my brother, we were both fair skinned with light hair. Our only difference in appearance, was he had deep, brown eyes, and I had sparkling blue eyes. That was the only difference. That, and my brother was an inch taller than me.

As I was working the last of the knots out of my hair, I heard the sound of soft padding outside my cell. I turned, to see a small, white wolf standing there, it's blue eyes shining in the dim light. I walked over to it, and noted that it was a she-wolf.

"I take it my mother sent you," I told the wolf. She nodded her furry head, her tail wagging. "But why?" I asked the animal. She whined softly and pressed her nose to my hand, then gave me a nudge. "I see," I smiled. I figured I had a few hours to kill before I was supposed to draw my first trail, and decided to see what the wolf was up to. If my mother sent her, she must have had good reason.

I followed the young wolf through the tunnels, before reaching one I'd yet to explore. Many of the tunnels had been mapped out by the late Kurda Smahlt. The would have been Vampire Prince who betrayed the clan by leading the Vampaneze to the mountain. Only later, did the Vampires realize how tragic their decision had been.

The wolf led the way outside, then tilted her head back and howled loudly before running down the side of the mountain. I had a strange sense of deja vu, but couldn't figure out why. It took just over a half hour to reach the base of the mountain, where the wolf darted off, nearly blending in with the snow. I looked back at the mountain and cursed. If Vancha found out I left, alone none the less, he would skin me alive. But it was a risk I was willing to take. The one thing my mother always instilled in me, was to always follow my heart. Keeping that advice in mind, I raced after the wolf, following the strong scent of her long coat rather than her herself.

She stopped a few miles shy of the mountain, outside of one of the waystations. I knew from experience, that the caves had been set up to give Vampires – and now, Vampaneze – a place to rest when they were traveling to and from the mountain. I drew the short, hand carved knife under my dress, careful to make no sounds, listening intently for anything that could explain why the wolf led me here.

"Who's there?" a small, scared voice asked. I blinked, surprised by how familiar the voice sounded. I waited as a figure edged closer to the mouth of the cave, surprised to see what looked like a boy, maybe 13 or 14.

"Who are you?" I asked softly, lowering my knife, but not discarding it all together.

"I...No. Who are you?" he asked, rising to his feet, his hands shaking. My eyes flicked to his fingertips and I soon realized he was one of ours. An old story came to mind, one my mother had told Skye and me years ago, on one of the rare occasions we were both together. The only living, true link to the late Prince who helped save the clans.

"Darius Shan?" I asked, eyes widening.

"H...how do you know who I am?" he snapped.

"Because, you're practically a legend. A few years ago, you vanished, and we've all been wondering what ever happened to Darren's nephew," I smiled softly. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Uh...okay," he said shyly. I smiled again, before extending my hand.

"I'm Storm. Are you on your way to the Mountain?" I asked.

"I guess..." he said. He looked scared and ashamed, like he did something horrible.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I glanced at the wolf, who had yet to leave my side.

"I...I did something awful..." he said. He looked ready to cry.

"What did you do?" I asked softly. I never got to hear his answer, because before he could utter another word, a loud snap caused us both to react, both spinning towards the trees, our weapons drawn.

"What are you doing out here, Storm?" a familiar voice called. "Everyone's convinced you ran away."

"Skye?" I yelped, running into the trees, pulling him forward with me. "Way to give us a heart attack!"

"Us?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

"Yeah, us," I said, nodding at Darius.

"Is that...?" he asked, completely awestruck.

"Believe it or not, yes. Mom must have known," I said, nodding at the wolf, who was sniffing Skye's hand suspiciously.

"Of course. At least she didn't send a toad," he grunted.

"Frog," I corrected.

"What?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Frog. Mom breeds frogs," I said with a sly smile.

"Whatever," he growled. "Why do you think she sent the wolf though?"

"Probably so we found him before the Princes, or worse, before any of Leopard's followers," I sighed. "This is the last thing we needed," I added, glancing at the boy. "How much do you know?"

"About what?" Darius asked, interested in our conversation.

"About the last few months of the war?" Skye barked.

"Peace, Skye," I said softly. "Darius, how long has it been since you last spoken with a vampire?"

"Um...Six or seven years I think?" he said, shaking his head. "I know my uncle and father died before the war ended. I also know the two families of the night were working towards peace," he added.

"Yupp, that about sums it up," I smiled.

"Hardly," Skye grunted.

"Skye," I growled, nodding for him to follow me. He did so, one eye still watching Darius.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I growled. "The kid's scared. Can't you ever hold your tongue?"

"He's the reason Hibernuis is dead!" he snapped.

"No. The child is not the blame. If anything, he's a blessing!" I retorted.

"No he's not. There are still small bands of Vampaneze who believe the clan would have been better off if Leopard had won!" he shouted.

"Who cares? We're inches away from peace, Skye! Do you really think anyone would change their mind, over a child none the less?" I growled.

"They have before! Remember, Darren was just a child when he was blooded! And he became a Prince! What if history repeats itself with his nephew? Only this time? We'd be getting part Shan, part Leopard! He's a monster" Skye shouted so loud, I thought he was going to cause an avalanche!

"Get away from me," I growled, pushing past him. I stood protectively in front of Darius, my knife drawn. "Go!" I roared.

Skye took a step towards me, then turned and ran quickly towards the mountain, no doubt, to alert my father of what I had found. Or rather, who.

"He doesn't like me," Darius shrugged, stepping in front of me. "I can get that. I'm Steve's son, afterall."

"No, you're Darren's nephew, and as soon as we figure out how to address the topic, we'll get everything taken care of. For now, you're going to have to lay low," I said with a shake of my head. "But you're coming with me."

"No, he's not," a new voice boomed. I turned and gasped, because standing before us, was none other than Mr. Desmond Tiny himself. Despite the fact he is my grandfather, I never felt comfortable around him. The wolf stepped protectively in front of Darius and me, as Desmond circled us slowly.

"Naturally, your mother decided to alert you of his presence," he tutted. "A shame. I would have loved to have seen how it would have played out otherwise."

"Shut up," I growled sharply. He looked at me, and before I could stop myself, my legs gave way, my face hitting the ground at a painful speed.

"Don't speak to me like that," he said calmly. He snapped his fingers, and my insides felt as if they were being torn out, piece by piece.

"S-stop!" I groaned. "I'm sorry!"

The pain subsided quickly, even though he eyes never left mine.

"Don't disobey me again, child," he scolded.

I watched in silence as he studied Darius, an overwhelming sense of fear overcoming me. I let my fingers wrap around the wolf's thick coat, unable to take my gaze off my grandfather's stern features. Time seemed to move impossibly slow as he watched the boy, who made no movements whatsoever.

"Well this has been fun and all but-," I started.

"Silence," Desmond growled, spinning around, his hand coming inches from my face. "Speak again and I'll gut you," he added sweetly. You'd almost have thought he was joking. Except I knew he wasn't.

Again, we waited. After several long, gut-wrenching moments, he finally nodded his head. "Take him with you. I'm just _dying_ to know what the Clan will make of him," he giggled sheepishly.

I did not need to be told twice. Letting go of the wolf's thick fur, I spun and grabbed Darius's hand and dragged him after me as I ran up the side of the mountain at full speed. I didn't stop until we were safely tucked away in one of the darkest tunnels I had ever been in. I stopped suddenly, allowing myself a moment to breathe. To my surprise, the wolf had followed us and now kept watch, her pale blue eyes shining in the near darkness. She was panting heavily, but made no sound. Darius was shaking from the exertion, not nearly used to the swift speed I had just forced him to follow at.

"What's the big deal anyway? Darren said if anything happened, I could come to the Mountain," he grumbled breathlessly.

"It's not you exactly. It's the fear of what you might symbolize," I explained. "You're the only real thing Darren and Steve had in common, blood wise. Both blooded you, both were biologically related to you. Some believe that you'll be what keeps the clans from settling on a peace agreement. Much like my brother and I are believed to reunite the clans, you're believed to break them apart. Though I don't rightly understand why. No offense, but you're not all that important or different. My father was originally Vampaneze, then reblooded as a Vampire. I don't understand what makes you so different from him," I continued, pondering the situation. "Though, I guess when DesTiny comes into it, you could very well be more important than anyone ever dreamed."

"Great," he muttered sarcastically.

"Sorry," I smiled sadly. "You never did tell me what happened," I inquired.

He looked at me suspiciously, as if trying to figure out why I cared. I waited patiently, until he finally broke the silence.

"I murdered my mother," he whispered.

Suddenly, my heart sank. Could this really be the prophecy everyone had been fearing? Could something had gone wrong when Darren reblooded the boy so many years ago? Or did my grandfather have a hand in the outcome? Was the War of Scars really over, or were the last few years of peace just the calm before the storm? Fear rippled through my body as I led the boy directly to the Hall of Princes. Explaining the situation to the Guards, I was allowed to enter, Darius in tow, the white wolf following silently behind, her paws making absolutely no sound of the ground.

The moment the Princes laid there eyes on us, I knew something was terribly wrong. Beside them, sitting in what was once Darren Shan's throne, sat the devious, cunning, Des Tiny.

* * *

_A/n:: As always, feedback is always appreciated. I promise, this will not end of a mary sue story - it was up for grabs who would find Darius, but since I'm writing it in first person POV, I decided it'd be better if Storm found him, rather than Skye. As for the wolf, she's symbolic, which will be described later on. I'm always open to suggestions, so please, feel free to add your own ideas! Thanks for much for the reviews, and thanks for reading! _


	3. Chapter 2

I watched in true terror as all eyes locked on ours. Darius fell deathly still, for a moment, I thought he had died on his feet – until I saw the light rise and fall of his shoulders out of the corner of my eye. I stood tall, my head high, as a hushed murmur fell upon the Hall. Neither Arrow nor Mike nor Vancha tried to silence them. They were as stunned as the rest. Desmond sat smiling, a wicked, evil smile. After a few minutes of hushed discussion, the Hall was filled with an eerie silence. It was like no one wanted to be the first one to talk. Finally, I decided enough was enough, and took charge of the situation – carefully.

"May I speak, Sires?" I asked slowly, my eyes never leaving Desmond's.

"By all means, please do," Arrow said, nodding appreciatively. I stepped forward but kept my body protectively in front of Darius. The she-wolf followed my movement, keeping her body rigid, prepared to attack if necessary.

"Grandfather," I said softly, though my voice echoed in the silence of the hall. "What is the purpose of your untimely visit?"

"Oh, look at you, taking charge. Your father must be proud," he chuckled, throwing a look in Vancha's direction. I bit back a growl, keeping my temper reined in. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Skye inch forward, until he was standing beside me, his hands trembling both with fear and anger.

"My father is very proud, thank you," I smiled kindly, though inside, my own frustration was growing.

"I assume you, dear Snow-Storm, know exactly why I am here," he said with a soft laugh. "You know the story better than most. You were raised in the fear of another falling out," he teased. I felt the tension filling the hall as eyes shifted from Desmond to me and back. "Do tell them, Storm, tell them what you know."

"No," I moaned. "Mom...Evanna said it was so unlikely, that it was to be told as a legend, no truth whatsoever!"

"Every legend is born on truth, child, you know that better than most," he laughed sarcastically. "Tell them about the boy you're protecting."

I backed up carefully, the wolf, along with my brother, following my every move. We formed a half circle around Darius. I kept one hand behind me, locked on the boy's arm, the other, in front of me, ready to strike. The impossible tale my mother and so few others had told me, rang clear as night in my mind. The possible rise of a new Lord, one to replace Darren and Steve, one to end humanity, along with the clans. One to rule the world.

But it was just a story, just a warning my mother gave, to explain the true danger Desmond posed. The true horror of his meddling. It couldn't possibly be real. Could it?

"Storm?" Skye broke into my thoughts, his face full of frustration and disgust. Unlike my brother, who lived among the clan far longer than I, I knew more stories, more of the truth than he did. He knew more than most Vampires or Vampaneze, but he knew little of the story of the "Lord of Shadows," and what was to come if he or she ever rose into existence. After both Darren and Steve died, the threat was erased, or so we truly thought and believed. My mother would warn me, that nothing was ever truly set in stone, and it was possible, a descendent of either Steve or Darren may rise, bringing on the end of the world as we knew it, but that fate was unlikely, especially after Skye and I came of age and made our mark in the world.

"You're lying," I hissed, taking a step towards my grandfather, my heart pounding my in chest, my hand shaking at my side. "You're wrong."

"How could you possibly know? You're nothing but a mutt," he chuckled. "You know far less than you think."

"No," I said, suddenly smiling as a realization dawned on me. "You're wrong."

Silence filled the hall, as I turned my back to the meddling monster in front of me, and focused my attention on the boy who I was willingly defending. I took his hands in mine, and focused on the soft thudding of his heart beat. I let my eyes close, as I focused all of my energy on him, letting my mind clear of all distractions. I vaguely felt the wolf lean against my leg, her nose pressing against my bare foot, first cold and wet, then growing warm, hot even, as the visions filled my mind.

_Her hair flew behind her like a luscious, strawberry blonde river, her icy blue eyes glowing in the pale light of the moon. Her red gown flowed around her legs, hugging her curves, her short frame moving with the grace only one of the children of the night could possess. In her arms, laid a tiny newborn, whose hazel eyes were rimmed with tears, it's features twisted in a look of pure terror, yet familiar bits of typical baby cuteness. _

_She ran like the world around her was about to collapse. She fled from the voices, the coos, the chaos. She left the shelter of her home, for the darkness and uncertainty of a destiny she choose to accept. Beside her, an ever faithful wolf, letting out sharp yips and snaps, urging the young mother forward, keeping her from harm's way. _

_At the end of the twisted terrain, waited the father of her child. The man whose courage and strength kept her going for the long nine months. The man who killed, so she could survive. Her dark knight, in a cold world of twisted fate and dark prophecies._

"You're so very, very wrong," I said loudly, turning to face the man of my worst nightmares. The man who's very presence made my blood turn to ice. "You're terribly wrong."

The smile of my lips gave reassurance to the cluster of Vampires and Vampaneze, who watched in two astonishment as I walked up to the platform and stood tall before Desmond Tiny.

"This destiny has nothing to do with your plan. Darius is not to become anything but a Vampire of honor and loyalty," I said with conviction.

"How...No!" Desmond roared, throwing himself at me. To see the small man so outraged sent pleasure through my bones. With a moment of doubt, I stepped aside, and smiled cunningly.

"Mother always said it'd be either Skye or I. One or the other, who would be able to see _just_ enough to prevail, yet not enough to limit us from living up to our true potential. She was never sure which of us it'd be. It might be both. But one thing_ I know_, without a doubt, is that even you couldn't have predicted this," I smiled smugly. He looked at me with a furious expression on his face, before snapping his finger, vanishing as quickly as he had come.

Every single set of eyes locked on the three of us standing in a misshaped semicircle, a look of excitement on two of our faces. Without saying a word, I knew Skye too had seen the exact same scene unfold, at the same moment I had.

"Is...was that real?" he asked me in a hushed tone, his fists no longer balled, his fingers trailing circles in the wolf's long coat.

"Yes," I said with a sigh of relief. "Wasn't it beautiful?"

"Absolutely," he agreed.

Mika coughed to get our attention. We both spun and waited for him to say whatever was on his mind.

"Mind sharing your revelation with the rest of the class?" he asked with a scowl.

"My sister is going to be the mother of the first half Vampire, half Vampaneze child," Skye beamed brightly. A surprised gasp, followed by a series of catcalls and hushed whispers filled the hall.

"Silence"Arrow barked loudly. The noise subsided, bringing with it, an uneasy silence. "What does that mean?"  
"It means I'm going to be the one to break Desmond's dream of destroying the world. Skye forgot the one piece the child will have. He or she will be one part Vampire, one part Vampaneze, and one part human. Unlike our us, he or she will not have any of our mother's powers, but they will be able to roam the world, day or night, without the deadly rays of the sun harming them. And they will be the guardians of all we love and cherish," I smiled brightly. "However," I said louder, addressing the entire hall. "No one, under any circumstance, is to approach me. It will play out, as I saw, and anyone to try and change that, will be harshly punished," I declared loudly.

"Who's destined to be the father?" Vancha asked. I could see a look in his eyes. The protective, fatherly look that I had come to cherish and respect.

"No fear father, it's someone who is worthy of the role," I said with a sly smile.

"What does any of that have to do with Darius?" Mika asked, his eyes flashing to the boy standing behind Skye and me.

"It doesn't," I said with a smug smile. "Not directly. But that's why it screws with Desmond's prophecy. It was supposed to deal with him. It was supposed to be him, but now, it won't be," I laughed merrily. "DesTiny rejected," I added with a shake of my head.

"Am I the only one confused?" Vancha asked with a bewildered expression. There was a rumble of agreement throughout the entire hall.

"I'll explain at a later date," I said with a smile. "Right now, I believe I am scheduled to pick my first trial?"

"Ah, yes. So she hasn't forgotten," Arrow laughed.

"First things first," Vancha interrupted. "What to make of Darius Shan?"

"As long as my father doesn't object, I'll watch over him until Storm's trials are over," Skye pitched in before I could say anything. Gannen looked shocked for a moment, then nodded his approval.

"Then it's settled," Arrow's voice boomed. "This is a strange turn of events, but it's back to business as usual, Storm, step forward and choose your trial," he said in a lighter tone.

I waited as a guard stepped forward, carrying a bag of numbered stones.

"As requested, we have limited the trials in which you have to choose from," Mika said bleakly. "Only twenty-one remain. I believe you're aware of the rules?"

"Aye," I said as I drew the first rock my fingers touched.

"Number 17," the guard announced as he passed the stone to the Princes. "The Blooded Boars."

"I couldn't have asked for an easier trial," I whispered to myself, thanking the Gods for small mercies. I'd fought against blooded animals on several occasions, as part of my training in the last two years. The blooded boars would prove no challenge for me, despite my short, stocky frame.

"Be present tomorrow night, for your first trial," Arrow said with a nod. "May the luck of the Gods be with you," he added.

"One request, Sires," I said softly, so no one else in the Hall could hear.

"What?" Mika asked, clearly uneasy about the way things were going.

"My father, I'm sorry dad, is not to be present at any of my trials, is that understood? And for history's sake, neither is the Little Person," I said sharply. Arrow and Mika – to my great surprise – both nodded in agreement. Harkat Mulds had returned to the Mountain shortly after Darren's death and stood with those who pushed for peace. I had only seen the Little Person a handful of times since coming to the mountain, but like most, knew the story of how he jumped into the pit with Darren to save his life, during his fourth trial all those years ago.

As I walked down to the Halls of Sport, to pick out a suitable weapon, I lost myself in memories of my earlier years, learning side by side with Evanna, seeing Vancha a few times a year, enjoying a hard, but simple life of nothing but toads, spells and legends. It made me miss the life I used to hate so much. At least then, I wasn't struggling between who I was and who I wanted to be.

I was staring at the wall of swords when Vanez approached me, a sad smile on his face.

"Nervous?" he asked, scaring me out of my memories.

"No," I said truthfully. "Most of these trials I could pass with my eyes shut," I added with a laugh.

"Confidence is good, but don't get cocky. Even your brother struggled when he had his turn," he scolded.

"True, but unlike my brother, I can swim," I laughed. "At least for now, I'm confident. The worst I'll face is death, and death has never scared me before," I added with a sigh.

"You don't fear death?" Vanez asked, seemingly surprised.

"No. I might be young, but I've lived a good life. Should I die, I'd die a happy individual," I said truthfully. "Death is the worst this universe can throw my way. Death, or Des Tiny. I'd rather face the former."

"Spoken like a true Vampire," Vanez beamed.

"Aye," I said, and with that, I pulled a light sword from the wall, practiced for a few minutes, and decided it would be my weapon of choice. Though it was bigger than I usually practiced with, it was sharp and light, easy enough to use, though harder to handle than my hand-carved one. But that sword broke ages ago, and I never stopped to make a new one. Not that I'd have known how to anyway – the sword had been a gift from a friend of Evanna's, and when it broke, I failed to tell her so.

I returned to my cell a few hours before day-break and sat in the middle of the floor, my legs tucked under me, my eyes closed, thoughts focused on an easier time. I meditated, until everything was sorted in my head, peace was made with the Vampire Gods, and finally, sleep was knocking on my door. With one last sweep of the room, I retired to my coffin and sank into a dreamless, restless slumber.


End file.
